Phil 1101 Final
FINAL PHIL 1101
1. Is the mind separate from the body? In answering this question, carefully explain Descartes’ Dualism and at least one argument for that that position. Defend your view against objections.
a. I disagree with Decartes’ dualism arguments because although the argument may have true premises, it is not valid.
a. Conceivability argument: Concieve myself w/o body, cant conceive w/o mind, body cant be mind
b. Follows Leibniz’s law: for any x and any y, if x is identical to y, then x and y share all the same properties
a. If x and y do not, then x is not y
b. Because can conceive differently, not the same
c. Objection 1: can we doubt the existence of our body, and cant conceive without mind, such as someone in coma who’s body exists but mind does not.
d. Objection 2 (Water argument): I can conceive water is not h2o, cant conceive h2o not h2o, water not h2o, which is false. Because argument can be false with other things, not valid.
2. Carefully explain Harry Frankfurt’s view of free will. Is his position persuasive? Why or why not? Make sure to defend your position against objections.
a. The slogan for Frankfurt’s view of free will is “your will is free when you have the will you want to have.” He believes that you have free will when you are in control of your desires.
i. 1st order desires are the desires to perform some action or actions. ii. 2nd order desires are the desires to have some desires rather than others; desiring to desire something, like wanting to not want to smoke. These desires reflect the sort of person you want to be, your deep self. When your decision to do something is the result of your 2nd order desires, of your deep self, then you have free will.
b. Is this position persuasive?
i. Yes, because it redefines free will as the freedom to be able to better yourself as a person, and work on your deep self, rather than the compatibilist’s version which says as long as you have the freedom to do what you want, you
1. Is the mind separate from the body? In answering this question, carefully explain Descartes’ Dualism and at least one argument for that that position. Defend your view against objections.
a. I disagree with Decartes’ dualism arguments because although the argument may have true premises, it is not valid.
a. Conceivability argument: Concieve myself w/o body, cant conceive w/o mind, body cant be mind
b. Follows Leibniz’s law: for any x and any y, if x is identical to y, then x and y share all the same properties
a. If x and y do not, then x is not y
b. Because can conceive differently, not the same
c. Objection 1: can we doubt the existence of our body, and cant conceive without mind, such as someone in coma who’s body exists but mind does not.
d. Objection 2 (Water argument): I can conceive water is not h2o, cant conceive h2o not h2o, water not h2o, which is false. Because argument can be false with other things, not valid.
2. Carefully explain Harry Frankfurt’s view of free will. Is his position persuasive? Why or why not? Make sure to defend your position against objections.
a. The slogan for Frankfurt’s view of free will is “your will is free when you have the will you want to have.” He believes that you have free will when you are in control of your desires.
i. 1st order desires are the desires to perform some action or actions. ii. 2nd order desires are the desires to have some desires rather than others; desiring to desire something, like wanting to not want to smoke. These desires reflect the sort of person you want to be, your deep self. When your decision to do something is the result of your 2nd order desires, of your deep self, then you have free will.
b. Is this position persuasive?
i. Yes, because it redefines free will as the freedom to be able to better yourself as a person, and work on your deep self, rather than the compatibilist’s version which says as long as you have the freedom to do what you want, you